25 foreign universities apply to set up campuses in Malaysia
- According to an article in News Straits Times, Malaysia has received 25 applications from foreign universities to set up their campuses here.
- The latest to be approved were UK's University of Reading and Herriot-Watt University.
- Applications have also been received from established overseas institutions to set up new private unis since their policies do not allow them to set up branch campuses.
- Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Moh Khaled Nordin says that the applications came from developed countries - US, UK, Australia, Switzerland and also UAE, China, Nepal and Singapore.
- He also expects more applications from Europe and West Asia.
- He attributes this rising interest to Malaysia's stable political, economic and weather climate, as well as its strong quality control system (MQA), tax incentives and liberal higher education policy.
- Recently, the QS ranked Kuala Lumpur as the 44th in the Best Student Cities Ranking 2012.
- In 2011, Malaysia was also ranked 11th in the most popular country among foreign students.
- MOHE expects more than 150,000 students to pick Malaysia as their study destination by 2015.